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Sunday, January 14, 2024

Movies I watched in 2023

Hello, movie lovers!

A few days ago I talked about books from 2023, but now is my favorite part because Movies Meet Their Match! Whenever people ask me what I like to do, "watch movies" is definitely up there because I love exploring stories. And I love lists. Therefore, making list by summarizing the movies I watched is my ultimate jam. And I hope it is for you guys, too! Enjoy!

Want to see what I watched in previous years? Here are the previous lists for 2022, 2021, 2020201920182017, and 2016.

Because I rewatch too many movies, I don't count them here, these are only new-to-me movies.

Notes:
Ones with a tilda (~) means I saw it in a theater.
It is underlined if I cried during. 
Ones with a caret (^) means I watched it for a class
Ones with an asterisk (*) means I watched it more than once this year

New-to-me movies:

The Hunt for Red October (1990)


She's the Man (2006)^ (Technically it wasn't for a class, but it was an optional assignment and I did get one credit for it...Shakespeare, you know)


Living (2022)~



Notting Hill (1999)



Cassanova Brown (1944)


Top Gun (1986)


Dungeons & Dragons: Honors Among Thieves (2023)~*

The Little Mermaid (2023)~

Romero (1989)^ (I would have cried during if it wasn't so late at night and I was falling asleep...)


Dune: Part One (2021)

The Third Man (1949)

Jackpot (1950)

Barbie (2023)~*

The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming (1966)


Uncharted (2022)

Yellowstone (1936) (There are no words to describe how insane this was. My family still talks about it)

Jurassic Park (1993)~

Super Mario Bros Movie (2023) (I didn't watch all of this, and even got distracted by doing the dishes during the climax so I don't really know what happens. But my roommates kept dragging me in.)

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Wonka (2023)~

Total: 20

I also did something this year that I hadn't really done before ("really" being the exception with STAR WARS IX): I saw a movie in theaters that I had previously seen outside of theaters! Like with Jurassic Park (1993), how they brought it back for an anniversary, they also brought back Howl's Moving Castle (2004), also known as my favorite Ghibli movie. So of course I went and saw it. Highly recommend the experience. I then dressed up as one of the characters for Halloween, as you do.


Series:

I didn't keep track as strictly with numbers of episodes like I usually do, but here's to the best of my memory!

Series with (currently) one season:

     Arcane: League of Legends
The last episode. It took me awhile to be prepared for it, okay?
     Cinderella and the Four Knights
Rewatched part.
    Crash Course in Romance:
I plead innocence because the title is is horrible and not even tied into the show. The show is about math and cooking. It's also one of the ways I got through last semester.
    Hotel Del Luna
This was my favorite show from 2023, so thoughts will be coming. In their own post.
    One Piece: 
Part of season 1. I still am not sure if I love it or hate it.
    Star Wars Droid Tales
With my roommate over Easter.
    XO Kitty

Series with multiple seasons:

     The Babysitter's Club
Season 1 and part of season 2
     Clone Wars:
I never know where I am, but I think I'm in season 4?
     Cielo Grande
Part of season 1.
     Doctor Who
Season 1, episodes 1-8. I am a full fan, now, because this is so much fun.
     The Flash
Parts of season 1.
     Fuller House
1 episode.
     Gilmore Girls + A Year in the Life
Season 7: episodes 19-22: Yes, I finally finished this series. The last few seasons are not my favorite, but the ending was decent. Meaning I cried. But are we surprised? No. Not as big a fan of A Year in the Life because it had way too much time with my least favorite guy.
     Greenhouse Academy
Part of season 1.
     Heartstopper
Part of season 2
     Leverage
Season 1: episode 10-13 and Season 2: episode 1-8. Rewatch: Season 1: eps 1-9.
     Lupin
1 episode
     Merlin
Rewatch season 1 and some of 2.
     Miraculous!: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir:
Part of Season 1. Season 2 and 3. I am obsessed.
     Newhart:
Assorted episodes with my dad.
     Sanditon
Season 3
     Shadow and Bone
Part of season 2, rewatched parts of season 1.
     Sherlock
Rewatched season 1 and part of season 2.
     White Collar
Part of Season 1: WHY do I love Neal so much when I have only known him for barely any time?
     Wild Wild West
Some from season 3, but lots of rewatches from season 1 as well as new ones.

A lot of these were watched with other people outside of my sisters, which was new because usually I watch things with them or myself. There were the usual watching in a different language to try to learn it, so let me know if you can figure out what those were!


My 10 Favorite New-To-Me Movies:

1. Barbie (2023) and Dungeons & Dragons: Honors Among Thieves (2023): These two movies are tied. I cannot chose between them. I love them both for such different reasons: Barbie is so nostalgic and says things I never knew needed to be said while D&D is full of heart and world building and creativity to fill my writing dreams. If these being tied for first place doesn't say anything about my personality, I don't know what does.

2. Living (2022): This is so inspiring in simple ways. It feels like the last few years I've been watching a lot of action packed movies and I have fun with them, but movies like this cut so deep. 

3. Jurassic Park (1993): I saw this in 3D in the theater for the first time and I can't believe it took me so long. Just like with watching Star Wars for the first time and you learn it's not just about battles in space. This is not just a movie about dinosaurs: it's about a paleontologist who doesn't like kids being put in charge of kids. IT'S ADORABLE. And I also cried because I was so stressed.

4. Dune: Part One (2021): Do you guys remember when I read this 2019? And I hated it? Well, a case of liking the movie better has finally emerged. This is so epic and everything I want in a story. So I'm stoked for Part Two!

5. The Little Mermaid (2023): A trend with some of these movies is "I don't like the original". That's why remakes are still being made! Because I dig them! I thought Ariel and Eric's relationship was vastly improved with both of them being adorable. 

6. Wonka (2023): This and The Little Mermaid are about tied. I just had a jolly old time with both. Which is odd that I enjoyed it so because I do NOT like the 1971 movie, but here, any time they referenced it I got emotional and teary. I want to write a post about this because it felt like a love letter to creativity as opposed to economics. 

7. Uncharted (2022): Yes, MC, we get that you like the action movies. Especially heists. This one was super fun because even though it has uncountable backcrossing (is that the term?), I mean, double crossing moments, the whole movie is about being a decent human. As Nathan Drake is. I also thought it was quite funny.

8. Romero (1989): There is so much conflict in this movie. It is so wild that this was made while there were still so many shootings in El Salvador. It is a moment in time that should not be forgotten.

9. The Third Man (1949): This movie wins the award for one of the weirdest movies I've ever watched. I think it gives an important look into the aftermath of WWII that I wouldn't have thought of. The ending made me simultaneously mad and cheer. 

10. The Hunt for Red October (1990): This is one of my dad's favorite movies and he talks about it all the time. "One ping, Vassily!" I love that it has so much suspense even though the locations do not change all that much. So much of it is figuring out what the characters motivations are.


I had two goals for 2023 that I was really trying to achieve:

  • 20 is less than half of my usual 40+ new watches. That's because one of the goals was to only watch as many new movies as the books I read. Because these last few years I've slacked in the reading category. Well, I read 21 books, and watched 20 (new-to-me) movies, so I succeeded! Part of that was achieved through allocating more time to shows because I forgot to count those, but I still count this as a success!
  • The second goal was to watch more films from the 20th c. Last year only about 6.5% of the movies I watched were from the 20th c. and while I love new movies, I felt horrified and that I couldn't call myself a classic movie fan. This year, 50% were from the 20th c. and 50% from the 21st! So another success!

Now, goals for this next year, 2024. I proved to myself that I can cut back, so I'm not going to put limits. Especially because I am taking a film class this next semester, so watching movies will be the homework. However, maybe on series, as I should reverse roles with what I did this year.   

Have you guys seen any of these movies? What are your thoughts? Did you notice what is missing from my favorites? Have you ever been tied on two movies when you don't know which you like better? Do you want to hear my thoughts on any of these? I would love to hear thoughts from all of you!

What are some movies that you are looking forward to coming out in 2024? I'll love to be excited about it with you! Thanks for reading!

Chloe the MovieCritic

Friday, January 12, 2024

Books I read in 2023

College life, for real. (Source)


Hi, friends!

I haven't written a post since September (though college is ROUGH it paid off this semester!), but I'm still alive! Have no fear! Usually I jump on reflecting on the previous years books and movies immediately, but I was not in the U.S.. Hurray for studying abroad! I'm only slightly sunburned and here it is very cold so I have time to read and watch some new things.

As usual, you can check out my Goodreads account HERE. I didn't do any full review this year, but I gave some more detailed thoughts over there if you want to check it out! And if you want to compare this list to the previous years, here are the links for 202220212020201920182017, and 2016.

I have a few different sections here, but overall, if I cried during the book, I will underline it. 


New-to-me books:

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - by Staurt Turton
A Man Called Ove - by Fredrik Backman
The Little Prince - by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
All the Crooked Saints - by Maggie Stiefvater
Speak Easy, Speak Love - by McKelle George
The Silent Songbird - by Melanie Dickerson
My Lady Jane - by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
The Thief - by Megan Whalen Turner
The Lightning Thief - by Rick Riordan
Okay For Now - by Gary D. Schmidt
King of Scars - by Leigh Bardugo
These War-Torn Hands - by Emily Hayse
Fable - by Adrienne Young
Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln? - by Kate DiCamillo
Neverseen - by Shannon Messenger
The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek - by Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal

Total: 16


Graphic novels:

Persepolis - by Marijane Satum 

Total: 1

I don't usually count autobiographies/memoirs because that falls into non-fiction, but I think this is a very important story. I want to read the rest of the series and see the movie!


Plays:

Zoot Suit - by Luis Valdez

Total: 1

Technically there were a lot more but TECHNICALLY I didn't read every single word. There was much skimming involved. That's what happens when I take a Spanish theatre class. I'll write a post one day about all the stories we talked about (fingers crossed after I get my degree! Then it will be a ranking!) but know that for now I enjoyed them even if I wasn't able to be as thorough as I wanted to be.


Rereads:

Howl's Moving Castle - by Diana Wynne Jones
Anne of the Island - by L. M. Montgomery
The Penderwicks - by Jeanie Birdsall

Total: 3

Those weren't just any rereads, but I've read all of those books at least three times.


Grand total: 21

While that might not seem like a lot, it's four more than last year, so I'm celebrating!


My 10 Favorite New-To-Me Reads of 2023:

1. All the Crooked Saints - by Maggie Stiefvater: Every year I have an existential crisis over trying to describe my favorite books, but I continue to try. This book is about the manifestation of darkness and trying to help people face their biggest fears to get what they most want. This is everything I love and everything I aspire to be. Beatriz. Daniel. Joaquin. Pete. These characters are all so real to me.


2. A Man Called Ove - by Fredrik Backman: Speaking of real characters, I have never encountered such bitterness that Ove has. And yet this story is about a stubborn cat and even more stubborn family all to change the heart of the most stubborn man. 


3. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - by Staurt Turton: The hype is real. This book is INSANE. It was an amazing way to start 2023. Mysteries are one of my favorite genres, but a common fault is that it is about solving the problem without deeper meaning. This has a theme that is one of the most incredible I've ever come across.


4. The Lightning Thief - by Rick Riordan: Again, I repeat, THE HYPE IS REAL. I'd never gotten into Percy Jackson before and I was missing out because Percy is HILARIOUS. And Grover?? My sweet Grover?? Why does no one talk about him? Annabeth is a boss and I promise to stop calling her Annabelle. I helped out with a musical version this year and I am excited to watch the show.



5. Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln? - by Kate Dicamillo: The annual appearance of the queen of MG NEVER disappoints. This made me cry like, well, a baby. Gorgeous.


6. Speak Easy, Speak Love - by McKelle George: I admit I shouldn't love this as much as I do. But sometimes Much Ado About Nothing is exactly what the doctor ordered.


7. King of Scars - by Leigh Bardugo: I'm conflicted about one of the story lines because things were feeling like they were moving very quickly, BUT. BUT. NIKOLAI. Can you say his name louder for those in the back?? I didn't ever finish Shadow and Bone, but this spin off is fantastic already.


8. Zoot Suit - by Luis Valdez: I have come to appreciate style as a way of expressing oneself and this repression of style and identity is appalling to me that it happened in real life.


9. Neverseen - by Shannon Messenger: These books are candy. Way too much fun and if I'm not careful I will binge the whole series.


10. Okay For Now - by Gary D. Schmidt: This book WOULD be higher if it wasn't for one thing. And I am still BITTER about it. I'm just saying that Doug deserves better. Thanks to my book club for suggesting this and enjoying it with me! I'm excited to see which Gary D. Schmidt we choose for this July...


There you have it, folks! I had a great reading year with only a handful of major dislikes, which were far outweighed by the wondrous stories I encountered. How many of these books have you guys read? Do your thoughts line up with mine? What are your thoughts on the books I didn't extrapolate on?

What has been happening since I've been gone? What have you all read and watched? Tell me your favorites and what I should check out in 2024! As I've said in the past, my computer is finicky when it comes to answering comments, but I love hearing all of your thoughts and will make it work to answer them eventually!

Thanks for reading, and here's to a 2024 to tell tales about!

Chloe the MovieCritic